Gluten Free Sourdough BBQ Chicken Pizza and Pesto Pizza

When we think of the foods that bring us comfort or the most joy, what is the one that, universally, makes our lists? PIZZA. It’s always pizza. And rightly so. I mean, like the beloved taco, a pizza is really a way to get creative with your favorite toppings, and plop it onto a chewy, crispy crust.

That is, unless you’re gluten-free, then the crust is often rock-hard or as thin as a cracker, with no chew, no texture, and definitely no taste.

Us gluten-free folks have to fight tooth-and-nail for a good crust that makes eating a pizza as enjoyable as it should be. But I had a thought recently -- Simple Kneads gluten-free bread is a loaf that I absolutely love -- the sourdough flavor is on-point, and the texture is chewy and not dry like many other gluten free breads, plus the ingredients are far and above more nutritious and clean than other breads on the market. Why don’t I see if I can make a pizza out of this bread? And folks, that’s what I did.

And I didn’t have to do anything fancy. The way this bread toasts in the oven with the help of a little bit of avocado oil, makes the center doughy and chewy, while making the crust nice and crispy. Then add on the toppings and you’ve got yourself a unique little personal gluten-free pizza in no-time flat!

Growing up, my favorite kind of pizza was BBQ Chicken Pizza, and I have been wanting to figure out a way to make a healthy, refined sugar-free version, so this was the perfect opportunity to develop a healthy BBQ sauce recipe.

Using a base of tomato paste and LOTS of spices, I nailed this BBQ sauce, and you will absolutely love it on these gluten-free pizzas.

The best part, is there’s almost no waiting around for this recipe. The crust (a slice of the Simple Kneads Sourdough) is ready in 8 minutes, then you top it with the sauce, veggies, and protein, and 7 minutes later, you have dinner (or lunch, or breakfast if that’s your thing! You do you!).

I recommend leveraging some meal-prep when putting this recipe together, as that will save you time. Specifically, if you’re adding chicken, I recommend cooking your chicken first, and then chopping it up to add to the pizza when you’re ready to make it.

I also made a pesto pizza using my classic basil pesto sauce recipe, and topped it with fresh-picked garden tomatoes, and it was such a fresh take on pizza (plus it tasted SO good cold! Any cold pizza lovers out there?).

While this recipe guides you to make BBQ Chicken Pizza and Pesto Tomato Pizza, I encourage you, as always, to get creative and make these pizzas your own. The great thing about this bread is that it’s an excellent canvas for just about any kind of pizza you’d like to make. Get those creative juices (or sauces) flowing, and see what you come up with!

Make the pesto sauce: Add all ingredients to a small food processor and pulse on high until blended (it's okay for it to be a little textured, but you want all of the basil leaves, garlic, spinach leaves, and pine nuts to be fully broken down and mixed in). Set aside.

Line the bread slices on a baking sheet, and lightly spray or drizzle with the avocado oil (you want to be careful here not to douse the bread -- just a very light drizzle, just enough to get the center a little soft when it goes in the oven).

Bake the bread in the oven for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven.

Top 2 slices of the bread with the BBQ sauce, the red onions, the parmesan (if using), and the chicken, and the other 2 slices with the pesto and sliced tomatoes.

Place them back in the oven on the baking sheet for another 7-9 minutes, or until the sauce is fragrant, the edges of the bread are toasty, and the cheese (if adding) is melted.

When done, remove from the oven, and top the BBQ Chicken Pizzas with the diced green onions, and serve.

Store extra sauce in the fridge and save for another dish, or more pizzas later in the week!

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This post is sponsored by Simple Kneads Gluten Free Artisan Breads. You can order right on their website https://www.simplekneads.com, and they bake and ship them fresh to order.